Card games have been an essential part of Filipino culture for generations. Long before smartphones and online entertainment became widespread, groups of friends and families gathered around small tables, sari-sari stores, and neighborhood corners to enjoy a friendly match. From simple leisure activities to competitive games with wagers, card games have always played a role… Continue reading The History of Card Games in the Philippines: From Traditional Pastimes to Online
Bookmakers learned to blend in, from back rooms to high streets
Bookmakers in Britain have long reflected changing attitudes toward gambling, shifting from hidden corners to the heart of daily life. Their journey began in unmarked, discreet spaces where betting took place far from the public eye. As laws and public perception evolved, these operators gradually emerged onto busy high streets, becoming a common fixture in… Continue reading Bookmakers learned to blend in, from back rooms to high streets
A History of the Asteroids
By Tim Lambert The Discovery of the Asteroids The asteroids are small heavenly bodies, almost all of which orbit between Mars and Jupiter. The first asteroid to be discovered was Ceres. It was discovered by Giuseppe Piazzi in 1801. He named it after the Greek goddess of Agriculture. In 1802 Wilhelm Olbers discovered a second… Continue reading A History of the Asteroids
They Were the First!
By Tim Lambert In 690 AD, Empress Wu Zetian became the first woman to rule China. In 1678, Elena Piscopia became the first woman in the world to gain a PhD. In 1725, Catherine I became the first woman to rule Russia. In 1783, two men, Jean-François de Rozier and the Marquis d’Arlandes, made the… Continue reading They Were the First!
A History of the First PC Games and Their Modern Competitive Legacy
In the early 1990s, the “Personal Computer (PC)” was a beige box of mystery for most of the population. To the average office worker, it was a tool for spreadsheets and word processing—cold, efficient, and strictly professional. However, hidden within the Windows operating system were a few small programs that would change the social history… Continue reading A History of the First PC Games and Their Modern Competitive Legacy
Perpetual Motion: A History of Nonsense
For a long time, alchemists fawned over the idea of turning lead into gold. It took our best scientists thousands of years to achieve this feat. In May 2025, the CERN laboratory launched two high-speed lead nuclei at each other. The resulting near-miss scattered lead protons, briefly turning some into gold. Every civilisation has one… Continue reading Perpetual Motion: A History of Nonsense
A History of Sex Work
By Tim Lambert Sex Work in the Ancient World Sex work is often called the world’s oldest profession. Exchanging services for food or other goods probably occurred in Prehistoric times. It certainly was common in the earliest civilizations in Iraq and Egypt. Sex workers were recorded in Ancient Iraq as early as 2,400 BC. Sex… Continue reading A History of Sex Work
A History of Pigs
By Tim Lambert The Domestication of Pigs Pigs are intelligent animals. Wild pigs are clean animals. However, for humans, pigs are very useful. Pigs were first domesticated in Western Asia about 8,000 BC. They later spread to Europe. Pigs were independently domesticated in China about 6,000 BC. In the Roman Empire, pork was a common… Continue reading A History of Pigs
A History of Fish and Chips
By Tim Lambert Fish and chips is a traditional British dish, and there are many fish and chip shops. So how did this come about? Potatoes are native to South America, and they were grown by the native people for thousands of years before Europeans discovered them. The Spaniards took potatoes to Spain in the… Continue reading A History of Fish and Chips
A Brief History of Edfu
Egypt has long been an incredibly enticing destination for history-savvy tourists around the world. The grand structures of the pyramids and sphinx continue to make the country unique and iconic. Due to the locations of the most famous landmarks, Cairo is, naturally, the go-to landing spot for visitors. Here, however, we’re looking further down the… Continue reading A Brief History of Edfu